The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations around that, not just his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
